Subsidy: Persons With Disabilities Advocates For Welfare Grant
By Chris Nyamtu
Following the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government, Persons with Disabilities in Nasarawa State have advocated the introduction of a Special Welfare Grant Scheme to alleviate their hardship as a result of increase in the pump price of premium motor Spirit also called petrol.
Retirees also appealed to the federal and state governments to subsidize the cost of medical treatment for the vulnerable group to enable them cope with life amidst fuel subsidy removal.
Since President Bola Tinubu announced the decision of the federal government to remove payment of subsidy on oil during his inaugural address on May 29 2023, Nigerians from all works of life have been grappling with how to adjust to the new reality occasioned by the rise in the pump price of petrol.
Amidst complains and grumbling , the average Nigerians have continued to keep hope alive while waiting for the federal government to commence unfolding of palliative programmes aimed at providing succour as a result of the impact of the oil subsidy removal.
In an interview with Radio Nigeria, a former Nasarawa State Chairman of Joint Unions of Persons with Disabilities Mr Andrew Awu called on the federal government and Nasarawa State Government to urgently commence disbursement of intervention funds as according to him, life was becoming unbearable to most of them since the removal of fuel subsidy.
Another person with Disabilities Miss Jessica Maichibi who said she was barely living from hand to mouth while searching for a job after graduating from the university, explained that the increase in the price of commodities following the oil subsidy removal had made life difficult for her to cope.
Also , a civil servant Mrs Esther Andrew stated that since the removal of fuel subsidy, she had been paying double to go to work considering her visual impairment, stressing the need for the state government to increase salaries of workers in the state to reduce the burden.
Retired civil servants Mr Mathew Akwe and Alhaji Ibrahim Habu appealed to federal government to pay attention to welfare of pensioners in initiating subsidy palliative programmes.
The retirees however called on Nasarawa state Government to provide relief items especially food, drugs and transportation to pensioners whose conditions had been worsened following the removal of fuel subsidy.
